Dewayne Crane, EMS Director of ParaTech went before the Board of Supervisors Monday morning to correct some misunderstandings that were discussed in the June 6th board meeting concerning the ambulance service.
During the June 6th meeting, a local citizen went before the board with concerns about why the county does not receive any profit from ParaTech and if the county ever receives a financial report from ParaTech.
Crane stated in a letter he provided to each member of the board; “It has come to my attention that questions have been raised to this board by a completely uninformed individual concerning the wisdom of having ParaTech EMS, as the ambulance provider for Clarke County over the past 23 years. Therefore, to alleviate any concerns that may exist among the members of this board, or anyone else, I would like to take this opportunity to report an accurate account of what has taken place historically, and is happening currently, with ParaTech EMS, and EMS in Clarke County.”
ParaTech EMS was established as a business by Dewayne and Donnie Crane, brothers and paramedics, as well as long term employees of Emergency Ambulance Service, the then, county owned and operated ambulance provider.
In 1993 the Clarke County Board of Supervisors elected to contract with ParaTech EMS as the county’s ambulance provider. At that time the EMS budget for the county was reported as being in excess of $265K per year and the county was seeking to alleviate a portion of its legal and fiscal liability.
Supervisor Paul Mosley also stated there was only a 40% collection rate from services not being paid for by citizens using the ambulance.
The initial contract between ParaTech EMS and Clarke County was for a period of three years with an annual subsidy to ParaTech by the county of $165K per year. The total savings to the county over that term was a minimum savings of $100K per year to the county.
At the end of that three year period, the county elected to continue with ParaTech as its ambulance provider, with only one change and that was the county no longer subsidize EMS in Clarke County.
“We were then faced with the decision to either continue with business as best we could without a subsidy, or leave Clarke County without an ambulance provider,” Crane said. “We elected to continue in Clarke County without assistance. This decision, by our best estimates, resulted in a savings to the county in excess of $300K per year over the following four years with a total savings of more than 1.2 million dollars,” Crane added.
Crane also stated in his letter to the board that even though the years 1996 – 1999 there was increased debt for the company and owners because of a lack of funding, ParaTech never failed to provide ambulance service with appropriate staff.
The county once again began subsidizing ParaTech in 1999 in the amount of $60,000 per year renewable each year. The board continued to increase the subsidy to ParaTech up to $107K per year with the agreement that ParaTech add an additional Basic Life Support ambulance and to be on duty from 7 – 3 during the week.
“Our family is vested in what we do here and over the past 30 years have seen counties contracted out and then left without an ambulance service,” Crane said. “I don’t know where people get the idea that we have tremendous profit.”
“ParaTech, its owners and employees, are proud to serve Clarke County and thankful for this opportunity that was afforded to us nearly a quarter century ago,” Crane said. “We will continue to provide the highest level of EMS care available and strive daily to improve upon it.”
Clarke County does not cover the expenses for EMS employees for health insurance, retirement or other benefits afforded to county employees, and that falls on ParaTech to provide.
Currently, ParaTech employs nine full time employees, two regular part time employees and more PRN (as needed) employees. They operate one Advanced Life Support Ambulance 24/7, an additional ALS Ambulance on week days and call - in crews, which can staff a total of three available ALS ambulances if needed.
“We own three ambulances (soon to be four), and one Suburban Emergency Response Vehicle, which may be utilized for first response or a staging vehicle in the event that it is needed,” Crane added.
The board of supervisors stated that ParaTech has provided financial reports upon request and worked cooperatively with the board.
